Beer-pipe cleanser.



J. L. STEITZ.

BEER PIPE GLEANSER.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 29, 1012.

Patented June 10, 1913.

JOHN L- STEI'lZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BEERJHPE CLEANSER.

Specification of Letters "Patent "atentcd-lune It), HHS.

Application filed July 29, 1912. Serial No. 712.045.

To all 107mm it may concern,

.3e it known that I, JoiIN L. t- 'rnrrz, citizen ot the United States. residing at (Thieago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use- :t'ul Improvements in lleer-lipe Cleansers; and I do hereby declare the 'tiollt'nving to be a full clear, and exact (lttltil'llfilUl'i of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to mill. and use the same.

This invention has tor its object to provide a simple and cllieient device for cleans ing beer pipes and the like, the object being to provide a simple and always ready means for accomplishing this result whenever a. barrel of beer has been emptied and prior to tapping a fresh barrel.

The invention consists in the :teatures of construction and combinatiims ol" parts hereinafter fully described and particularly claimed.

The accompanying drawing illustrating the invention shows a cleans ng device em bodying my invention in central vertical, section.

The invention has for its particular object to provide means whereby an ever ready cleansing device for beer pipes is n'ovided which at all times connected with a source of supply of hot or cold water, or both, and which is operated by inserting into the same a part of the beer barrel tapping means whereby the beer pipes are easily and quickly connected with said water supply and a llow through the same results.

A further particular object of the present invention is to PIOVltll a device o'l? this character which is adapted to contain a supply of soluble chemical such as caustic soda or; stals and through the mass of which the water is caused to flow before entering the. beer pipes whereby a part of said chemical is dissolved and carried through said pipes to aid in cleansing the same.

The device comprises the casing A, preterably of cylindrical form in the middle o'l. which is a cylindrical inlet B for water, the latter being connected with the lateral passage C in the bottom of the casing A which is adapted to be connected at one or both ends with the service pipes of a building for admitting either hot or cold water, or both, to said casing. A valve seat 1) is mounted in the upper end of said inlet B, said valve seat being carried by a bell E of larger diameter than the inlet I1, and receiving the latter, there being an annular passage .l l between the outer circum'lcrential wall of the inlet It and the inner circumterential wall ot the depending llange ot the hell I). The valve seat I) is disposed at the lower end ol. a central cylindrical llauge l otf said bell, the said tlange being provided with a plurality ol' (awnings (12 through which water is adapted to [low into the said annular space E between said hell and said inlet. A valve ll seats on said valve seat I) and is provided with an upwardly extending stem 1 which passes through said cylindrical llange l and projects above the top of said hell 1*], said stem l is ot less diameter at its lower than at its upper end to provide an annular pas sage thrtnigh which the water is adapted to pass to said pcrtoratious ti. Haid valve ll is 'l'urther provided with a stem l which passes diametrically through the passage (.1 and enters a guide opening in a plug l{ in the lower end of the casing A and midway hctween the ends oil the passage (J. Said valve is maintained normally on its seat by means of the spring l, in a well-known manner.

In the upper end ot the casing A. there is a relatively large opening M adapted to be closed by the cap N. The latter is provided with an. annular llunge t) between which and the upper end ot the casing A a washer l is contined to provide a lluid-tight joint. The. said plug is hollow and is provided with a central opening t3 for the passage of the tap pipe R of a beer barrel. Disposed within said plug N is a packing S which is compressed therein by means of the washer T and gland ll, the latter being externally threaded and engaging the internal threads in the upper end portion of said plug N. The said plug l\ may be readily removed at any time for the purpose ol lilling the upper chamber ol the member A with a chemical such as caustic soda or the like. and may then be closed. The valve ii is normally closed and may be opened by pressure exerted upon the upper end thereof. This pressure is applied by means ot the pipe it and when so opened causes a ilow oi water through the openings (t and annular space l l between the hell i and inlet 1 and thence into the bottom of the chemical containing chamber of the casing A. The water flows upwardly through the latter and through the openings V in the pipe ili and thence.

through the beer pipe connected therewith to the faucet. The latter is maintained open during the cleansing interval and until the beer pipe and said pipe R have been drained by gravity after removal of the latter from the casing A.

The device is very simple and eflicient.

I claim as my invention:

A device of the kind specified, comprising a casing adapted to be connected with a water service pipe and having a chamber therein adapted to receive a chemical in solid form soluble in water, a cylindrical inlet for admitting water to said chamber, a bell of larger diameter than said inlet covering the latter, a hollow stem connecting the same with said inlet and having lateral openings through which water is adapted to pass into an annular space between said bell and said inlet and through which water is discharged upon the bottom of said chamber, a valve seat at the lower end of said hollow stem, a valve seating thereon, a spring maintaining said valve normally closed, a projection on said valve extending through said hollow stem and adapted to be depressed by means inserted through said discharge opening for unseating said valve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN L. STEITZ. Witnesses RUDOLPH WVM. Lo'rz, M. M. BOYLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner af Yatents. Washington, D. G. 

